Stories and Perspectives

Tara Shoemaker sitting on the beach with watercolor paints. Image generated with the help of AI tools.

On Art, Burnout, and "Authenticity"

We talk a lot about authenticity online—but no one talks about how hard it is to live it. This post is a reflection on burnout, the myth of ‘realness’ in...

On Art, Burnout, and "Authenticity"

We talk a lot about authenticity online—but no one talks about how hard it is to live it. This post is a reflection on burnout, the myth of ‘realness’ in...

The Providence, RI skyline in the evening

You Don’t Have to Know Exactly What You’re Look...

I thought I was just passing through Rhode Island. I didn’t know it would become home—or that the detour would hold everything I never thought to ask for. This is...

You Don’t Have to Know Exactly What You’re Look...

I thought I was just passing through Rhode Island. I didn’t know it would become home—or that the detour would hold everything I never thought to ask for. This is...

Sharon, a watercolor painting of white wildflowers blowing in the wind by Tara Shoemaker Art

Choosing Meaning Over Mass-Produced: Why Origin...

Mass-produced art might match your rug, but it won’t move your heart. Original work? It carries breath, memory, and meaning—and sometimes, that’s exactly what your home is missing.

Choosing Meaning Over Mass-Produced: Why Origin...

Mass-produced art might match your rug, but it won’t move your heart. Original work? It carries breath, memory, and meaning—and sometimes, that’s exactly what your home is missing.

The artist in her studio with an unfinished painting on the table next to her

The Beauty of Slowness: Why Art Invites Us to B...

We're always rushing—but beauty was never meant to be fast. This week on the blog, I'm sharing why slowness matters, how art invites us to pause, and what I'm learning...

The Beauty of Slowness: Why Art Invites Us to B...

We're always rushing—but beauty was never meant to be fast. This week on the blog, I'm sharing why slowness matters, how art invites us to pause, and what I'm learning...

Horeb, an original mixed media painting by Tara Shoemaker art, hanging above a couch with two little girls with obscured faces

Why Buying Original Art Is an Investment in Mor...

You don’t have to be a “collector” to collect art.You just have to start with one thing that stirs something in you.One moment where you go, “Yes. This.” This week,...

Why Buying Original Art Is an Investment in Mor...

You don’t have to be a “collector” to collect art.You just have to start with one thing that stirs something in you.One moment where you go, “Yes. This.” This week,...

A detail shot of a watercolor landscape with colorful conifer trees under a soft peach and pink sky from Tara Shoemaker Art.

How to Start Collecting Art—Even If You’ve Neve...

You don’t need a design degree or a gallery wall to start collecting art. You just need one piece that tugs at you—something that makes you pause and think, this...

How to Start Collecting Art—Even If You’ve Neve...

You don’t need a design degree or a gallery wall to start collecting art. You just need one piece that tugs at you—something that makes you pause and think, this...